[hermperez]

no effect.. one year away from actual sales there can be no effect, but any publicity is good in getting peoples attention.

Mabel, look at that, GM is bringing out an electric car with unlimited range in 2010.. maybe we should delay getting the Corolla and sticking it to the arabs.

 

[Brad4]

The sad thing is they probably didn't spend much money on the song or dance.

Now I'm thinking maybe they should have.

 

[jabroni1]

Do a search on YouTube for the EV1 commercials and you will be horrified. GM marketed the EV1 as a failure, and they succeeded. Looks like they are trying to sabotage the Volt as well.

Come on GM, do it right, for once. Shout from the rooftops how this automobile will be the "must have" in every driveway.

 

[Chris_Rossello]

Only the price of oil is gonna have an effect... And in Europe where I live, gas is very expensive (around 8$ a gallon) and all the plugs are 230V 16 amps... Compelling no ?

Chris

 

[nucboy]

This will be long forgotten by Nov 2011 (I hope).

I assume the commercials for Volt will be better. Some Metrosexual looking guy (Not Howie) who can speak intellegently will explain the Volts advantages in a clear way and the rest will be history.

One thing to consider, however, is how much marketing will really be needed for the Volt in the first 2 years since they will be hard to get.

Perhaps the Volt will just make cameo appearances at the end of adds for the whole Chevy lineup (the true halo effect). This will prove GM is seriously considering efficiency.

Look at our lineup. Equinox at 32, Malibu at 33, Cruze at 40, Spark at 42 and did we mention the Volt at 230 mpg.

 

[Steve42]

My take is that there is a large group of folks out there who are angry at GM either because of their own experiences with GM cars, or because of the bailout, or some other thing.

It must be very difficult to do "marketing on egsshells" but it seems like that is exactly what GM needs to do. Avoid any missteps until the Volt and the Cruze can be released, so that their plan to win people over with a cutting edge green technology can work.

The best marketing would be $4 gas signs all over the country.

 

[FLAtRich]

We bailed the car companies out because we had to, not because we think they're building the right kind of cars. Call me when they start marketing a car that uses no gasoline and I won't care how badly they dance.

 

[twist]

The Volt priced under $40,000 combined with dependability are all the advertising GM needs. Positive word of mouth will keep the Volt on back order for the first 3 or 4 years of production.

I saw the dancers perform the Volt show live. What came to mind is that it made the Volt stand out from the 100's of others cars on display. I give GM points for combining youth culture with Hollywood glitter in the presentation.

=D~

 

[Danny Thai]

I went around to many sites on the net showing the video, and comments were pretty much negative.

I don't really understand this negativity. I see that this is not a super well done production (it is for an auto show after-all) and the song is a little childish (and a bit corny). I felt like the song conveyed the Volt's message well. I pictured a Volt in a corn field, with a family singing the Volt song together on the back of an old Chevy pickup truck.

If you listen to the words, and not let your first thoughts overwhelm your senses, you might see what I mean. It evokes an ambiance of peacefulness and a positive outlook on the future. C'mon you guys, were really expecting a game-changing dance?

Give GM a break, they didn't mean for the dance and song to be seen in this light. I agree with you Lyle, they should stick to good ol normal media promotions. It sucks that we probably won't be getting a lot more creative experiences because of this experience. The Chief of Marketing is probably horrified with the reaction. But that's how people work. I hate to say it, but most Americans want the regular commercials and stuff. They don't want this "corny" and "badly choreographed" song and dance.

 

[BillR]

jabroni :
Do a search on YouTube for the EV1 commercials and you will behorrified. GM marketed the EV1 as a failure, and they succeeded. Lookslike they are trying to sabotage the Volt as well.Come on GM, do it right, for once. Shout from the rooftops how thisautomobile will be the “must have” in every driveway.  

Actually, I think this is a neat commercial for the EV1. Too bad it never aired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5TLUIU5KFI&feature=related

 

[Xed1]

GM just needs to release a statement like "At GM we spend a lot of time focused on making the best automobiles for today and the best automobiles of tomorrow. We don't spend much time on dance choreography and I think it shows in this instance."

They just need to poke fun at themselves and spin it as "we're too busy making great cars to have a good dance so of course it stinks... Have fun watching the video and we'll keep making great cars".

or something to that effect...

 

[pKIO3]

There sure is a lot of anti-GM feelings out there. ( I've been purhcasing GM and Ford all my life with no complaints.) You hear all sorts of negative comments about everything GM is doing regarding the Volt. Most recently the song and dance. Have you tried Googling for a Prius Song? They have one that was being performed at their display at LA and no one comments on how lame it is. It may be that neither are my taste in music, but 3 "do-woppers" singing in front of a Prius appears just as lame as the Volt song and dance that everyone is so critical of. I blame it on the advertising companies in the US.

 

[hermperez]

FLAtRich : We bailed the car companies out because we had to, not because we think they’re building the right kind of cars. Call me when they start marketing a car that uses no gasoline and I won’t care how badly they dance.  

The Dreamliner flew yesterday.. finally!, hopefully we wont have to bail out Boeing, another company too big to fail.

 

[BillR]

Actually, it's not the dance that is so bad, it's the music.

Here's a hint to the folks in the Marketing Dept. If these guys can get it right, so can you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2KIxMQro-w&feature=related

 

[nasaman]

The subject dance was done simply to attract attention to the Volt at the LA Auto Show. In that regard it was a success.

I once came to know the top advisor to Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inns of America. He said their studies had all shown that the garrish, hideous sign ALL Holiday Inns used during the early rapid growth of the new chain (which like the Volt was a major change ---in this case, replacing "mom & pop" motels rather than gasoline as a fuel for cars). And Holiday Inn became convinced their ugly signs contributed significantly to their explosive growth in the 50's - 70's .....largely because they were so ugly!

Public exposure is a strange "animal". Publicity, even negative publicity, is often much more effective than advertising ---e.g., one of the NBA's most beloved players suffered from extensive negative publicity because (as he admitted) his lifestyle caused him to acquire HIV. More recently, another highly-regarded Lakers player, Kobe Bryant, accused of sexual assault (or rape) in a highly-publicized case, has emerged even more popular than before. If GM continues to support & encourage publicity for the Volt, such as here at gm-volt.com ---even when the blogs turn negative, as they often do--- it will clearly raise the public awareness of the Volt's breakthru design and its important advantages to an average car buyer.

 

[Exp_EngTech]

Yo !

Volt needs a Rap.

Somebody call Flavor Flav.

 

[mikeinatl.]

Imagine Lexus doing this.

 

[kdawg]

The best marketing for the Volt will be itself and its owners, once its on the road. Water-cooler conversations will lead to new sales.